There's a game I used to play called "Diner Dash". In it, you're a gal named Flo who's just opened up a diner and you have to keep customers happy whilst waiting tables, bussing them, and collecting tip. The amount of tip depends on how happy you are able to keep the customers up to the point they leave. Different types of customers get impatient more quickly than others, eat more slowly than others, and tend to tip better than others. And so forth.

And they apparently like dressing in uni-colors.

Waiting tables in real life is oddly similar to playing Diner Dash. Only about 45x harder.

In Diner Dash, you get extra points for doing an activity chain - like bussing four tables at a time rather than moving back and forth with other activities. And when I find myself doing an activity chain while waiting tables in real life, I give myself a little mental "level up" noise.

One thing that has been constantly happening here is people not believing my age. I've always looked younger than I am; that used to bother me when I was in high school and trying to look mature (or at least my age), but I don't really care anymore. Plus when I see middle-schoolers these days, my mind is boggled. I can see why people think I'm still in middle school (or at least a middle-schooler with less style). I get happy when someone guesses my age to be 18 or 19...before I realize they're still over five years off.

My first day on the job:Co-worker: "So how old are you?"Me: "I'm 25 years old."Co-worker: "....Really? Wait...really?"Me: "Yep."Co-worker: "No, really. Are you really?"

This repeated about four more times before he believed me, I think.

My second day on the job:Another co-worker: "So are you a student?"Me: "Nope, just graduated."Co-worker: "Ohh...high school?"

My third day on the job:Chef: "Have you been a server before?"Me: "Oh yeah, but not for...six years. It's been a long time."Chef: "Six years? Wait what. How old are you?"Me: "...I'm older than I look."

I've been eighteen years old for a very, very long time.

I'm indebted to my co-workers though, who have been extremely patient while showing me the ropes. I'm kind of in awe of some of them. My skills have not quite developed yet, although maybe someday in the future I'll be able to move as quickly as they do. Right now, it looks like magic to me.

The magic's not in the levitation, but the allure of the smoky eyes.

I'm also extremely grateful to many people since I moved here though, not just my new co-workers. Many old friends and my family have helped me settle in. They've lent me furniture, offered jobs, driven me places, spent time with me. I am so humbled and thankful and I hope I can soon not only be able to return their kindness but also share it with others.

Its funny how age works. Ironically, I feel as I become older, I look younger.
After I graduated from college people ask if I'm 16, and when I tell them im 23, they're like really?!?!

Also, for some reason I kept forgetting, when I was in Cali, that you were 25......

Reply

Elaine Cho

7/18/2012 04:13:48 pm

Crystal, I forget I'm 25 all the time. Hahah. And I think the age discrepancy is prevalent amongst all of us asians!

Reply

yuko

7/18/2012 01:50:34 am

ooo, you got a job! Congrats!

my sister will be happy to hear that she's not the only one who gets mistaken for much younger than she is! She was recently mistaken for her friend's younger brother (yes, she was also mistaken to be a boy) and when she was in her last year of middle school, she got on the bus with a group of friends and was told by the bus driver (even though all her friends had paid) that she didn't need to pay a fare cause he thought she was a kid. :D